“Glossary”

Absorption

A process in which one substance, usually a liquid or gas, is taken into the body of another.

ACHS

Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances

Acid

A substance with a pH reading of 0-7

ACOP

Approved Code Of Practice

ADR

"l'Accord européen relatif au transport international des marchandises Dangereuses par Route." The European agreement concerning the carriage of Dangerous Goods by road

Adsorption

A process where materials stick to the surface of a solid body

Aerobic

Operating in the presence of Oxygen

Agrochemicals

Substances used for agricultural purposes, includes fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, pesticides and plant growth regulators.

Alkali

A substance with a pH reading 0f 7-14

Anaerobic

Operating in the absence of Oxygen

BA

Breathing Apparatus

Becquerel (Bq)

A unit of radioactivity

Biodegradable

Having the ability to decompose through the action of bacteria

BOD

Biological/Biochemical Oxygen Demand

CAA

Civil Aviation Authority

Carcinogen

A substance which causes cancer

CEFIC

Conseil Europée d l’Industrie Chemique 

CFCs

Chlorofluorocarbons

CHIP

Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging) Regulations

CIA

Chemical Industries Association

Clinical waste

Any waste which consists wholly or partly of human or animal tissue, blood or other body fluids, excretions, pharmaceuticals, dressings, sharps etc

COD

Chemical Oxygen Demand

Consignee

The receiver of the Dangerous Goods

Consignment Note

The Transport document used for the carriage of Hazardous Wastes in the UK

Consignor

The sender of the Dangerous Goods

Contaminated Land

Land which because of it’s current or previous use has substances under, on or in it which may be hazardous to life or the environment

Controlled Waste

Wastes from households, industry and commerce, excluding mines, quarries, sewage and some radioactive wastes.

COSHH

Control Of Substances Hazardous to Health

COTC

Certificate Of Technical Competence

CPC

Certificate of Professional Competence

Cryogenic gas

A gas liquefied by super-cooling to below -100 degC

CWC

Chemical Weapons Convention

DfT

Department for Transport

DGN

Dangerous Goods Note

DGSA

Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser

Dioxins

Collective name for a group of compounds called dibenzo-p-dioxins.

EA

Environment Agency

Ecotoxics

Substances or preparations, which present an immediate risk to the environment.

Effluent

Any waste liquid from an industrial process

EINECS

European Inventory of Existing Commercial Chemical Substances

Element

A substance that cannot be reduced chemically into a simpler substance.

ELVs

End-of-Life Vehicles

Emergency Action Code

Code shown on UK tankers and bulk vehicles giving safety information for the Emergency Services

EmS

Emergency Schedules (for fire, spillages and first aid, found in the IMDG code)

EPA

Environmental Protection Agency (USA)

EWC

European Waste Catalogue

Exotherm

A chemical reaction which causes heat to be given out

Fauna

The animals of a region

Flash Point

The lowest temperature of a liquid at which its vapour may form a flammable mixture with air, abbreviated by Fpt.

Flora

The plants and trees of a region

Fly-tipping

The illegal depositing of waste

Half-Life

The time taken for half the atoms of a radioactive isotope to disintegrate.

Hazard class

Nine divisions of dangerous goods determined by their primary risk

Hazardous Waste

Wastes identified in the Hazardous Waste and List of Wastes Regulations 2005

Heavy Metals

Generally refers to Arsenic, Antimony, Cadmium, Chromium, copper, Lead, Mercury, Nickel, Selenium and Zinc.

HSE

Health and Safety Executive

Hydrocarbons

Organic compounds consisting of Carbon and Hydrogen

IATA

International Air Transport Association

IBC

Intermediate Bulk Container

ICAO

International Civil Aviation Organisation

IMDG Code

International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code

IMO

International Maritime Organisation

Inert

Inactive or unreactive

Inorganic

A material based on any chemical element other than carbon

ISPS code

International Ship and Port facilities Security code

IWM

Institute of Wastes Management

Kemler Code

A similar system to the UK’s Emergency Action Code, used throughout Europe to identify the primary hazard of liquids or solids in tankers

Label

A diamond shape indicating a UN hazard class

Landfill tax

Announced in the Budget of Nov. 1994 as a tax intended to encourage recycling and discourage landfilling of waste. 

LC₅₀

Lethal concentration of a gas or vapour that will kill 50% of all organisms exposed to it.

LD₅₀

Lethal dose of a substance that will kill 50% of all organisms exposed to that dose.

Leachate

Contaminated waters running off of, or percolating through a landfill site

LEL

Lower Explosive Limit.

Limited Quantities

A method of carrying Dangerous Goods that are exempted from most legislation by virtue of the small volumes in each package.

Load Limit

The quantity of dangerous goods that must be loaded onto a vehicle at which the ADR regulations will be fully applied.

LPG

Propane or Butane (or a mixture of the two) which has been liquefied for transport

Marks

Information attached to a package or vehicle other that a label or placard

MARPOL

International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARine POLlutant)

MEL

Maximum Exposure Limit

MFAG

Medical First Aid Guide (in IMDG)

Mutagen

An agent capable of modifying the DNA in the genes, causing mutations.

NOS

Not Otherwise Specified

OEL

Occupational Exposure Limit

Organic

Pertaining to carbon

Oxidiser

A material that has the ability to provide oxygen to a chemical reaction

Packing Group

A method of indicating varying risks posed by different substances within a single UN class. PGI- most dangerous, PGII – medium danger, PGIII – Least danger

PCB

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (see Class 9 substances)

Petrochemicals

Chemicals derived from petroleum, hydrocarbon liquids or natural gas.

Phytotoxic

Poisonous to plants

Placard

Essentially a large chemical hazard diamond attached to a vehicle or tank

PSN

Proper Shipping Name

Putrescible Wastes

Wastes, which consist of plant or animal residues which undergo bacteriological degradation when landfilled.

Registered Carrier

A person registered to transport controlled waste

RID

The European agreement for the carriage of Dangerous Goods by rail - Reglement concernant le transport International ferroviare des merchandises Dangereuses

Ro/Ro

Roll On-Roll Off, a design of ferry

Rollonoff

A Roll On-Roll Off waste container, usually of 11- 28M³ capacity

SADT

Spontaneous Auto-Decomposition Temperature

SIN

Substance Identification Number – As UN number

SLF

Secondary Liquid Fuel: Waste flammable liquids used to fire cement kilns

SOLAS

Safety Of Life At Sea

Solvent

Liquid that has the ability to dissolve other substances

Teratogenic

Capable of causing abnormal development of the embryo and congenital  malformations (From terato = monster (Greek))

TLV

Threshold Limit Value

TOC

Total Organic Carbon

TOVALOP

Tanker Owners Voluntary Agreement Concerning Liability for Oil Pollution

Transfer Note

A document which identifies waste that is transported

Transport Category

Materials are assigned to a category of 0-4 in order to determine the Load Limits at which ADR regulation is applied

UEL

Upper Explosive Limit.

UN Number

An internationally recognised four-digit identification number for an item of Dangerous Goods

VOC

Volatile Organic Carbon

VTC

Vocational Training Certificate (a.k.a. ADR licence)

WAMITAB

Waste Management Industry Training Advisory Board